


Blackbirds and Painted Dreams

by SeventhSparrow



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: First Time, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, benkaru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 15:32:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7898143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeventhSparrow/pseuds/SeventhSparrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben’s moping over the latest in a string of failed relationships but some bad weather and a chance encounter might just turn his luck around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blackbirds and Painted Dreams

Ben sometimes dreamed in watercolors. He’s had dreams of painting with them, of course, but occasionally, he’s dreamt of wandering around in rooms dripping with wet colors and impossible landscapes of varying hues and saturation. Pleasant dreams tended towards soft washes of warm hues and strokes of rich tones. Ben rarely had frightening nightmares, but he did have dark, unpleasant dreams sometimes. These were usually filled with faded, dreary tones and empty spaces that echoed with a sense of watery abandonment. 

Today, Ben felt like the sky had leaked out of the dreams that had plagued him all night. It was overcast with dark clouds that hung low over the city and there was a dampness in the air. A chill wind made Ben pull his sweater tighter around himself and wish he’d brought something heavier out to the park. Today wasn’t the best day to set up for sketching. Ben was half tempted to paint the clouds in moody washes of ash and slate with his watercolors instead of doing portrait work. The weather was a depressing reflection of Ben’s feelings today. He was pretty sure that he’d end up getting rained on, too. However, Ben knew his mood would only sink lower if he sat alone in his apartment all day, thinking about the previous night and making himself miserable instead of doing something productive.

He’d had the misfortune of running into his most recent ex at a friend’s art show the night before. Ben had been admiring the bold strokes of oil colors in a wildly inaccurate but immensely creepy depiction of a Vulcan sandfish when a horribly familiar laugh had interrupted his thoughts. Sure enough, he’d turned around and seen a shock of spiky blond hair that made him cringe and duck behind a corner. It wouldn’t have been quite so bad if his ex hadn’t had an inebriated redhead hanging on his shoulder and groping his ass with absolutely no shame.

Very briefly, Ben had tried to convince himself to pretend he didn’t care and maybe even muster up the effort to paste on a plastic smile and say hello, but before he even realized what he was doing, he was already out on the street and walking quickly away from the gallery. By the time he stopped to take in his surroundings, he was already in front of his apartment building. Shaking his head at himself, he’d gone into his apartment and flopped down in an exhausted sprawl over his couch. They’d broken up four months ago and anything having to do with Kevin still made him feel like crap more often than he wanted to think about. 

Ben had fallen for Kevin initially over his somewhat bent sense of humor and extravagant way of abusing a canvas with color, but their relationship had felt like a crazy roller coaster of thrilling highs when things were going good and stomach-dropping lows at the worst of times. Kevin had turned out to be a cheating asshole but Ben hadn’t found out until he’d caught him fucking one of his models in his studio one afternoon. Ben had dropped in to surprise him with lunch and found Kevin bending a willowy blond over a posing bench. Ben still couldn’t smell tikka masala without having a horrible flashback to that day. 

Seeing Kevin at the gallery made Ben feel like he’d had a major setback. He’d spent longer than he wanted to admit failing to fall asleep last night, laying in bed and trying to figure out exactly when in the seven months they’d been together that Kevin may have started cheating on him, or if he’d being screwing other people the entire time. 

In the morning, Ben had dragged himself out of bed with an exhausted groan. Frowning into his cornflakes, he decided that he didn’t want to ruin his entire weekend ruminating on his remarkable ability to become inexplicably attached to men who just dragged him down and left his heart in the gutter. Instead of moping, Ben had decided to hit the park to crank out some quick art and hopefully clear his maudlin thoughts with some fresh air. 

Finally arriving at Golden Gate Park, Ben set up his easel and a pair of fold-up chairs, then arranged his supplies and the sample display showing his various styles and their prices. He sat down to wait for customers while he nursed the coffee he’d picked up from a kiosk at the edge of the park. It was a Vulcan mocha, extra sweet. The caffeine and sugar jolt perked him up a little bit and he took in the fresh air with a small smile.

Despite the weather, there were a lot of people enjoying the park. He watched a group of teens playing some sport with a whirling silver disc and shouting over whether or not someone had made an illegal move. There were joggers and parents with strollers on the paths. Ben even spotted an Andorian tossing a ball for a rangy-looking brown terrier.

Ben didn’t have to wait very long before he had his first customer, a little girl who was pushed into the chair by her mother. He was more than happy to shove down his lingering self-pity and focus on capturing the brightness of the child’s large, dark eyes and the impish cast to her smile. The girl grinned when she saw the little butterfly Ben impulsively added to her hair in the portrait. The mother was delighted with the finished piece and pretty soon, Ben had several people waiting around for their turn to pose. A couple people just stood and watched as Ben worked. Ben didn’t mind an audience as long as they weren’t breathing down his neck. He also knew that the extra people standing around would most likely draw additional customers for him. 

Ben carefully set a fixative on his fourth piece, one of the Andorian and his dog, the latter of which had been introduced to him as an amusingly named Most Precious Sprout. Ben wasn’t sure if it was a translation error. The wind had picked up and the chill now had an unpleasant bite to it. He collected his credits from the Andorian and eyed the sky, trying to gauge how much longer he had before the rain would start coming down. He felt an icy drop hit his cheek and frowned. He hurried to pack up his supplies before they could get wet. 

“Aw, just my luck. That would have been a perfect present for my mom’s birthday next week,” sighed the young man who’d been next in line. Despite the mild complaint, the guy moved to help Ben, quickly folding the chairs and more carefully, the easel. 

“Yeah, I’m really sorry about that, but I doubt she’d enjoy it after it had been rained on. If you really want it, though, I don’t mind setting up somewhere else to get it done.” 

Not like Ben had much else to do, and he didn’t really feel like brooding at home for the rest of the day. Finished packing up, Ben tossed his bag over his shoulder and turned around in time to catch a grateful smile flashed his way. 

“Seriously? That would be really awesome.” The guy tucked the chairs under his arm and offered a hand to Ben. “My name’s Hikaru. I was going to buy the expensive one, so it won’t be a waste of your time.”

He was fairly young, probably a cadet or college student. Asian. Rather good-looking, too. Ben found the puppyish slant to his eyes pretty cute. Ben kept his expression casually cool as he shook Hikaru’s hand. 

“Ben. Don’t worry about it, I wouldn’t have minded if you wanted the cheap one. Portraits are fun and I’m not really doing anything else today.” 

“Nah, I want something special for my mom. Besides, I want to make my sisters jealous of how much more awesome my present is,” Hikaru said with a wink. 

Ben chuckled, but his cheeks totally took that wink out of context and Ben felt himself blush. Thankfully, Hikaru had already turned to start the trek out of the park and didn’t seem to notice. Ben grabbed the easel and hurried after him.

“Where do you want to set up? There’s a cool coffee shop nearby, but it’s kinda dark in there. My apartment’s pretty close, too. Just a couple blocks from here.” 

“I’ll need decent lighting, so your place might be better.” Ben glanced at the sky warily. “We should hurry, though. I don’t think we have much time before it starts pouring.” 

Hikaru nodded and led the way to his place at a brisk pace. “So, do you do this for a living, or is it just a hobby?” 

“For a living, much to my parents’ dismay,” Ben answered. “Stuff like today is just for fun. I do private commissions, gallery pieces, and sometimes I pick up work from publishers.” 

They kept up a friendly conversation even as they scurried down the street and ducked under awnings in a sorry attempt to avoid the rain that had started to come down in a steady drizzle. Sure enough, Hikaru was a Starfleet cadet who had just started his final year at the academy and was on track to be a pilot. He had a couple odd hobbies that he kept, but his ultimate dream was to fly a starship in space. Ben complained a little about the drama of being an artist in a family that was made up of mostly doctors as Hikaru led him down the hallway of an older apartment building. 

“My parents tried to blame my career choice on my uncle, who’s an architect. They always say it’s his fault for showing me too many drawings and filling my head with nonsense when I was at a ‘young and impressionable’ age.” Ben rolled his eyes.

Hikaru laughed as he fished his keys out of his pocket. Ben found himself thinking that the laughter really opened Hikaru’s serious face and made him even more attractive. Ben tried to shake that thought out of his head as he followed Hikaru into the apartment. Hikaru probably wasn’t into guys and even if he was, Ben doubted that a driven Starfleet cadet would be attracted to a dreamy eyed artist type. 

Hikaru leaned the chairs against a wall and turned on the lights. The apartment was fairly small but surprisingly neat, with large windows and a handful of potted plants decorating the shelves and windowsills.

“Take off your shoes and get comfortable. Do you want something to drink? I have some tea and coffee, or anything from the replicator if you’d like.” Hikaru kicked his shoes off at the door and headed towards the kitchen. 

Ben toed off his shoes and stepped into the living area. “Hot chocolate?” Ben wanted something warm after their cold, wet walk from the park. Another coffee would probably wreck his nerves, though. That Vulcan mocha had been strong.

“Coming right up. Feel free to set up wherever you want in there and move anything around if you have to,” Hikaru called from the kitchen area. Ben could see into the kitchen over the breakfast bar. Hikaru ordered a mug of hot milk from the replicator but pulled a tin from the cabinet and started spooning actual cocoa powder into it. _Kinda old fashioned but it’s cute_ , Ben thought with a slight smile. Ben was in the minority in thinking that most things from the replicator were just fine compared to the authentic stuff. 

Ben set his chairs in an open area by the window. There wasn’t much light coming through because of the weather, but he liked the open feeling. Hikaru came in and set Ben’s mug down with what looked like some tea for himself. He ran fingers through his damp hair, ruffling it into rakish spikes, and frowned slightly at Ben’s shirt. 

“I’m going to change real quick. I don’t think my clothes will fit you, but if you want, you can throw your stuff in the refresher to dry them out.” 

“I’m okay.” Ben felt awkward at the thought of stripping down in Hikaru’s apartment right now.

Hikaru looked dubious. “You sure about that? You can’t be comfortable and it’ll just take a minute.”

Ben hesitated for a second but then he realized he was being an idiot. His clothes were clinging uncomfortably and made him feel unpleasantly damp and cold. He was probably dripping on Hikaru’s floor. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

“Alright, in here.” Hikaru led him to the bedroom and pulled a fluffy towel out of a cupboard. He nodded to the refresher and pushed the towel into Ben’s hands. “Just toss the towel in the ‘fresher when you’re done.”

He stepped out but turned back to Ben with a smirk before he closed the door. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t peek, even if I bet you have a really cute ass.” 

The door shut before Ben could even even process that. Ben stood there for a minute, his face hot. He shook himself out of his confused embarrassment and peeled his clothes off before tossing them into the refresher. He toweled off, half expecting the door to burst open and for Hikaru to be standing there to say something else embarrassing to him, but nothing happened. He redressed and put the towel in the refresher, looking around the room as he tried to figure out if Hikaru was flirting or just making a joke. The bed was neatly made and the room was tidy, with a single plant next to a PADD, a box of tissue, and a chronometer on the nightstand. Not exactly a hotbed of clues to tell Ben if Hikaru was seriously coming on to him or just trying to be funny. Ben decided it was the latter. He hoped Hikaru hadn’t noticed Ben’s attraction. 

With a sigh, Ben opened the door. In the living room, Hikaru was bent over the coffee table, poking curiously through Ben’s art supplies. Ben couldn’t help but notice that Hikaru had a rather cute ass, too. He shook his head at himself and tried to change the direction of his thoughts. 

“Are you any good with art?” 

Hikaru jumped slightly and shook his head with an embarrassed smile. 

“Nah, never managed to surpass the greatness of my stick figure works from kindergarten.” 

Ben chuckled and started setting up his easel. “Well, I’m sure your mom loved your artwork, anyway.”

“Don’t all moms?” Hikaru stood there for a minute and watched Ben work. 

“Not mine, that’s for sure,” Ben replied sardonically.

“Ouch, sorry.” Ben caught Hikaru’s wince in his voice.

“Don’t worry about it. Just never bring up art if you’re talking to my mom and want to keep your liver where it belongs,” Ben joked.

“I’ll be sure to remember that. I do like my liver where’s it at right now. Is your dad that bad, too?”

Ben shrugged. “Not so much. I think I still managed to disappoint him, anyway. He’d never say it, but he’s kind of old fashioned and I think the fact that I turned out liking guys was a little bit of a let down for him.”

Hikaru looked a little heartbroken by this. “Really? That’s just — wow. I’m sorry.”

“Well, I might be extrapolating. He never actually told me anything like that. I just get that feeling sometimes, you know?”

Hikaru crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the couch. “My family’s lived in San Francisco for generations. It’s pretty much bred into my parent’s blood not to care that I turned out gay. Any other thought on it is almost like thinking the earth’s flat around here.” 

“Maybe that’s what drew me here, the history in this city. I grew up in Connecticut,” Ben added when he saw Hikaru’s open curiosity. Ben finally noticed Hikaru was rubbing his arms like he was trying to warm himself up. Ben frowned at him. “Are you going to change? I can see you shivering from over here. I’ll need you to sit still while I’m drawing,” Ben reminded him lightly.

Hikaru looked a little embarrassed for some reason but nodded. He headed off to change and Ben used the time to himself to try to sort out his thoughts. Hikaru did seem like he might be interested in Ben but Ben was a little hesitant. Hikaru was really attractive, funny, and he seemed like a nice guy. However, Ben was now standing in Hikaru’s apartment without knowing whether or not if Hikaru was just looking for something quick and casual, assuming he was into Ben at all. Ben had already learned that he didn’t do well with one night stands. While the sex was fun, he usually just felt lonely and a little dirty afterwards. He hoped Hikaru wasn’t just looking for a quick fuck. _Maybe I’m just reading too much into this, anyway._

Ben sighed quietly and plopped down on the couch while he waited for Hikaru. He didn’t have to wait very long. Hikaru came back out in a soft cream sweater and loose black pants. His socked feet padded silently across the wood floor. Ben didn’t miss the fact that Hikaru’s hair had been carefully combed nor did he overlook the hesitant way Hikaru bit his lower lip. He looked sexy as hell. Ben felt his eyes widen slightly in surprise at Hikaru’s appearance. 

Hikaru’s eyes met Ben’s and whatever Hikaru saw made him suddenly smile with more confidence. He moved to the chair opposite of the easel and settled himself into it. He wiggled around until he was comfortable and affected a casual pose. 

“Is this okay?”

Ben swallowed and moved to his own chair. He tried to study Hikaru with a professional eye, reaching over to gently move Hikaru’s head a tiny bit and instructing him to move his arms to change the set of his shoulders slightly. 

“There, that’s good. Did you want the graphite or charcoal?” Ben’s voice was a little rough, and he coughed slightly to try to clear his voice. Hikaru’s lips twitched in amusement. 

“Charcoal. I want something a little dramatic but still elegant. Something she’ll want to frame.”

“Narcissist much?” Ben asked with a raised eyebrow. He softened the expression with a teasing smile. 

Hikaru laughed. “Not really. Mom’s already freaking a little with the thought of me graduating after this year, and I’d like to give her something to nice to remind her of me.”

Ben nodded and and selected the appropriate materials from his kit. He called to the apartment’s computer to adjust the lighting slightly in the room.

“Alright, here’s the hard part. I’ll need you to hold still for a while so if you need a bathroom break, now’s your chance.”

“I’m good. Work your magic on me.” Hikaru’s tone was a bit suggestive and he waggled his eyebrow.

Ben blushed and made his first stroke on the paper. “Flirt. I’ll need you to stay quiet if you can. I don’t want your head moving around.”

“I’ll try,” Hikaru said with a pout. He did settle down, though, and sat quietly while Ben worked. At first, Ben had to focus on what he was doing instead of ruminating over Hikaru’s now open interest in him, but after a while he was absorbed into his work and the effort of trying to capture the slightest quirk of Hikaru’s mouth and the amused glint in his eye with something as mundane as paper and delicate charcoal shading. 

The rain outside only worsened as he sketched, working itself from a drizzle into angry lashes of water flung against the window by the wind. It was pretty dark outside by the time Ben finally felt satisfied with his piece, although a glance at his chronometer showed it was only six o’clock. The gloomy sky made it feel a lot later than it really was and the silence between the two of them added a sense of intimacy to the room. 

The process of coaxing a satisfying image from the raw materials of paper and pigment always calmed Ben's restlessness. Ben's thoughts had finally settled and with a clearer mind, he decided to go with the flow tonight. Wherever that flow might take him.

Ben glanced over the portrait once last time before adding his signature and setting the charcoal down. He stood and stretched with a soft groan. He gestured at Hikaru to come over. “Check it out and let me know what you think.”

Hikaru heaved a sigh of relief and stood with a long stretch, his back popping audibly. He came over and stood closer to Ben than strictly necessary to examine the portrait. His eyebrows rose and he gave Ben a big grin, obviously impressed. “Ben, this is absolutely amazing. I love it and my mom’s going to have an absolute fit when she sees this.”

“I hope in a positive way,” Ben joked.

Hikaru just nodded, still gazing at the piece. Ben had taken a lot longer than he normally would for a casual portrait and the final result was clearly worth it. Ben would normally have charged quite a bit for something at this level. Ben felt a little foolish but he really wanted to impress Hikaru and knock him off his feet with something that Ben had done. _Mission accomplished._

“You know,” Hikaru smirked, “I spent probably the first hour cataloging everything that made you cute and the second hour feeling hungry and trying to figure out how to ask you out on a date. After that, though, I was kind of zoning out and worrying about how numb my ass was starting to feel, but this was totally worth the wait.”

Ben burst into embarrassed laughter and shook his head with a shy smile. Hikaru grinned at him.

“Well, let me get some fixative on this and we can get something to eat. It’s still pretty wet out there, though. How about we dine in? Or is that too boring for a first date?”

“Of course not. I’ll get something ready. Do you like Italian?”

“Pasta’s always great,” Ben said as he started applying a fixative to the paper. Hikaru headed to the kitchen and began to putter around as Ben finished up and started cleaning up his supplies. He left the easel up but put everything else away and moved his stuff to the corner. “Can I help with anything?”

“No, have a seat. It’ll just be a few minutes.”

Ben slung himself onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar and watched Hikaru cook. His eyes were first drawn to the nape of Hikaru’s neck where his sweater hung low. Ben’s gaze slowly drifted over his back and narrow waist and he realized he was now ogling Hikaru’s pert ass.

“So tell me more about your art,” Hikaru called over his shoulder. “What’s your favorite type to work on?” 

Ben’s eyes jerked away guiltily. He firmly refocused on watching Hikaru as he stirred some vegetables and shrimp around in a pan.

“Portraits and figure studies, actually. I prefer using watercolors, but those aren’t exactly the most convenient for a quick piece on the street,” Ben replied thoughtfully. “My usual style and color palettes are somewhat evocative of dreams or whimsical stuff. I work on other subjects, too, but I like trying to capture a person’s essence in art.” 

Hikaru turned so he could raise an eyebrow at Ben. “Pretty deep stuff, man. Are you into philosophy, too?”

Ben laughed and shook his head. “I’m a simple guy, really. Just a bit of a dreamer.”

Hikaru chuckled and started plating food. “If I didn’t want to out myself as a complete dork, I’d say something about you just being dreamy, but I’d rather try to impress you with my suaveness and cooking skills instead of make you laugh over my corniness.” 

“Hey, I have a special place in my heart for corny guys. They make me actually feel cool,” Ben joked. 

Hikaru rolled his eyes dramatically at him. They sat down on Hikaru’s couch to eat, balancing the plates on their laps and talking between bites of shrimp linguine and sips of a nice white wine from the replicator. Ben didn’t expect it at all, but the longer they talked, the more he started feeling something warm and delicate blooming in his chest. There was something special about simple conversation and laughing with him about silly, everyday things over a nice meal.

After dinner was cleared away, they sat back on the couch with the last of the wine. The lighthearted mood from earlier shifted into something less easy, a little more tense, as they leaned into the cushions and watched each other over their wine. Hikaru was talking a little about his hopes for the kind of posting he might receive after graduation, but his eyes flicked from Ben’s down to where Ben’s mouth touched his glass whenever he took a sip of this drink. 

Ben knew where this was headed. A few hours ago, he would have tried to resist the flow with stern reminders to himself of why he didn’t leap into new beds without looking anymore. Despite his previous reservations, there was a hesitancy and something slightly wistful in Hikaru’s eyes that told Ben that Hikaru probably wasn’t used to charming the pants off whatever guy he turned his amorous attentions to. 

When Hikaru set his empty wineglass on the coffee table, he was paying more attention to Ben’s story about a friend’s misguided attempts to seduce a nude Vulcan art model. He set it too close to the edge of the table and the glass slipped towards the hard floor. 

They both reached to catch it in a desperate scrabble. Their hands brushed briefly as Ben managed to grab it before it could crash into pieces. He set it carefully back on the table. “if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had a Vulcan fetish,” Ben joked.

“Hardly,” Hikaru shot back, shaking his head with a dramatic shudder. He caught one of Ben’s hands and rubbed his fingers over the palm. “Is it weird to say your hands are really soft?”

“Yeah, kinda, but that’s okay.” Ben gripped Hikaru’s hand before he could pull it away. “It’s because of all the lotion,” Ben added with an eyebrow waggle.

Hikaru’s eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. He realized Ben was joking and he started laughing loudly. It changed Hikaru’s face, lighting him up completely as his eyes squeezed nearly shut in a surprisingly cute way.

Ben couldn’t help it. A laughing Hikaru was evidently something he just wasn’t able to resist. He caught Hikaru’s face with his hands and pressed their mouths together, smiling as Hikaru’s laughter abruptly cut off with a surprised _mmmmph_. Hikaru’s hands came up to frame Ben’s cheeks and Ben felt Hikaru kiss him back. Ben could taste the wine on Hikaru’s lips and hesitated for a moment. He eased back and studied Hikaru’s face.

Hikaru’s eyes opened and his hands dropped to rest on Ben’s shoulders. He frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Just making sure you’re not doing this because you had too much to drink,” Ben said softly. He brushed his thumb against the corner of Hikaru’s mouth and watched Hikaru’s pupils dilate even as his eyebrow rose incredulously.

“You seriously have to ask?” Hikaru didn’t even give Ben a chance to reply. He leaned forward and dragged a hand through Ben’s hair as he pulled Ben in and caught his lower lip with a soft, clinging kiss. Hikaru broke the contact and shifted to get more comfortable. He pressed Ben back into the couch and leaned against him for another kiss, this time licking softly between Ben’s lips. Ben couldn’t help the tiny moan that welled up in his throat as their tongues delicately touched. Hikaru sighed against his cheek and pressed against Ben more deeply. Ben kept his eyes closed and just let himself enjoy the wet heat of Hikaru’s mouth pressing against his own, the subtle smell of his cologne, and the sensation of Hikaru’s fingers tracing lightly over Ben’s face and neck. Ben had forgotten the pleasure of a great kisser but Hikaru was quickly reminding him why it was one of Ben’s favorite romantic activities. 

Ben wasn’t sure how long they had been making out before Hikaru slid his leg over and straddled Ben’s lap without breaking their kiss. Trapped against the cushions, Ben groaned when Hikaru pressed fully against him and he could feel the heat of Hikaru’s erection pressing against his stomach. Hikaru began to press soft, open mouthed kisses against Ben’s throat as he started to push his hips against Ben’s belly with shy, little movements. Ben’s own pants were rapidly growing uncomfortably tight. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d grabbed Hikaru’s hips and held him in place so he could grind up against Hikaru’s ass.

Hikaru’s head dropped to Ben’s shoulder and he panted against Ben’s neck for a moment. “God, Ben. I want…” Ben slid a hand under Hikaru’s sweater to stroke over his soft skin. Hikaru arched under his fingers and ground his crotch harder against Ben. “Ugh… you smell good.” Ben felt Hikaru breathe heavily against his neck then felt a tongue trace gently against his throat.

Ben shivered. “Umm, thanks?” He dipped his fingers down to rub the small of Hikaru’s back, which earned him a breathy moan. 

“Sorry, you’re kind of short-circuiting my brain,” Hikaru mumbled. “It’s getting hard to not sound like an idiot right now.” Hikaru undid the top button of Ben’s shirt and pressed a wet kiss to Ben’s collarbone. 

“Sounds dangerous. Do you want to stop?” Ben quipped in a serious tone. 

“Har har, very funny,” Hikaru grumbled before he rewarded Ben for the comment with a pinched nipple. 

“Ow,” Ben whined. His nipples were sensitive. “That kinda hurt.”

“Sorry,” Hikaru chuckled. He unbuttoned the rest of Ben’s shirt and slid down Ben’s lap to lick the nipple he’d just abused. He soothed it gently then moved over to the other one, using the tip of his tongue in little teasing movements and sucking softly until Ben was gasping for breath underneath him.

Hikaru put a hand over the bulge in Ben’s pants and lightly traced his fingers over the outline of Ben’s erection where it strained against the cotton. He looked up and met Ben’s eyes. “You okay up there? You look a little out of it. Maybe we should stop,” he said with a smirk. Despite the teasing, Hikaru’s voice was a little breathless.

“I have a better idea,” Ben said as he dropped his hand over Hikaru’s and pressed it firmly against his cock. “How about we find somewhere more comfortable, like an actual bed?” 

Hikaru looked like he definitely liked that idea.

“Yeah, okay. I think I know where we can find one.” Hikaru stood up and tugged at Ben’s arm, hustling him towards the bedroom. 

Ben followed without hesitation but privately, he was surprised with himself. He never thought when he woke up this morning that he’d be jumping into bed with someone he had just met by the end of it. He didn’t generally do this kind of thing, but there was something about Hikaru that gave him the feeling he wouldn’t be waking up with nothing more than sore muscles and a sense of regret. He hoped not, at least.

Before he could overthink things further, they were both stripped naked and sprawled on the bed. Ben pressed down against Hikaru’s lithe frame in a rhythmic grind, growing even more aroused as Hikaru’s head fell back and his lips parted helplessly. Thoughts about what might happen in the morning had completely flown the coop at that point. Hikaru was gasping in his ear and couldn’t seem to decide what part of Ben he wanted to feel up the most. His hands kept restlessly shifting between skimming over Ben’s back, squeezing his ass, and running through his hair.

“Like this?” Ben moved his cock in slow drags against Hikaru’s and they both moaned at the feeling.

“Yes, like that,” Hikaru moaned as Ben thrust down against him again. Sweat started dampening the skin between them and Ben decided to start moving a little faster, causing the bed to squeak in protest.

Hikaru’s hips were jerking up to meet each of Ben’s thrusts but he suddenly started shaking his head. “No, wait — wait. Not like this,” Hikaru grunted as he started pushing at Ben’s shoulders. 

Ben stopped immediately and pulled back, worried. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s just too good, too fast, and I want this-“ Hikaru leaned over and opened the drawer on the nightstand, digging out a condom and a bottle. “I want to feel you inside me,” Hikaru told him with a faint blush. “Is that okay?” His voice was a little hesitant.

 _Oh_. Ben had clear his throat before he was able to reply. “Yeah, okay. Very okay. Try not to scare me next time, eh?” Ben breathed a sigh of relief.

Hikaru smiled apologetically and kissed him softly. “Let me make it up to you.” He leaned back and grabbed one of the pillows. He laid down again and used the pillow to raise his hips, one foot against the bed as he lifted and opened his legs a bit. 

For a moment, Ben just looked at Hikaru — at his flushed cock and balls, the flat planes of his chest and belly, and the spread of his thighs and his tiny hole. Hikaru spread out like this had to be the hottest thing Ben had ever seen. Ben had never felt more turned on in his life. Hikaru’s face reddened as Ben kept staring.

“Computer, lower the lights to twenty percent.” Hikaru’s voice sounded a bit pained. 

The room dimmed and spurred Ben guiltily into action. He swallowed hard and picked up the bottle, crawling over to Hikaru’s side and peering down at Hikaru’s face. His face was flushed dark with embarrassment and he was looking at the ceiling.

“Hey, do you know how sexy you are?” Ben caught Hikaru’s gaze and brushed the hair back from Hikaru’s forehead. He kissed Hikaru’s lips softly.

Hikaru gave him a small smile and curled his fingers into the hair at Ben’s nape. “I’m glad you think so, ‘cause I want you so much. You can’t imagine how much I want you. You’re beautiful.”

Ben snorted and half-wondered if Hikaru maybe really had drunk too much wine earlier. He kissed Hikaru again as he opened the bottle and slicked his fingers. Ben kept kissing him as he braced himself on a forearm and reached down between them with his other hand to lightly rub against Hikaru and try to slowly tease him open. Hikaru was pretty tight and he let out a shaky sigh as Ben carefully worked a finger into him.

“You okay?” Ben murmured the question quietly into Hikaru’s ear. 

“Yeah, it’s just been a while,” Hikaru admitted, his voice throaty. “This is good, though. Don’t stop.”

Ben stroked gently inside Hikaru until he was rewarded with a low moan. Hikaru’s hips started moving. “There, please. More.” Ben just kissed him in reply, easing a second finger into him and watching Hikaru’s eyes flutter as Ben slowly fucked him with his fingers. Hikaru moaned softly against Ben’s mouth as his body grew more relaxed. He stroked Ben’s forearm and spread his legs a little wider. It wasn’t much longer before Hikaru gripped his arm to still the hand between his legs.

“Now, I need you _now,_ ” he told Ben urgently. Ben eased his hand away and moved to kneel between Hikaru’s thighs. Ben quickly put the condom on and slicked himself then crawled closer. Hikaru pulled his thighs up and held them open for him. Ben pressed inside with painstaking slowness until their bodies were flush and Ben could lean down to brace himself on his elbows over Hikaru.

“Still okay?” Ben asked gently. His voice was shaky. Hikaru felt so hot and unbelievably tight, and it took some effort to stay still while Hikaru tried to get used to being full of Ben’s cock.

“Yeah, just give me a minute and kiss me some more.” Hikaru smoothed his hands shakily over Ben’s shoulders. 

Ben obliged and for a few long moments they exchanged slow, deep kisses as Hikaru’s body relaxed around Ben. Hikaru reached down and grabbed Ben’s ass, pulling Ben against him firmly. Ben took the hint and started thrusting with small, careful movements. Ben swallowed the soft sounds Hikaru made into his mouth as he tried to find a good angle. When Hikaru gasped sharply, Ben figured he’d found it, and used one hand to hold Hikaru’s left thigh up and his body open so he could drive into that spot over and over again. Hikaru pulled his mouth away from Ben’s and started making soft _ah ah_ sounds.

“You feel so good, baby,” Ben murmured against Hikaru’s cheek. He licked at a drop of sweat that was running down Hikaru’s temple and thrust harder. “I don’t think I can last very long.” Hikaru just moaned in what sounded like agreement, lifting his hips to meet Ben’s thrusts and squeezing Ben’s shoulder. Hikaru’s other hand hadn’t left Ben’s ass, kneading the flesh and urging Ben to thrust faster. Ben pressed soft, open mouthed kisses against the side of Hikaru’s neck, tasting the salt on Hikaru’s skin.

“God, you feel so big,” Hikaru grunted. “So fucking good. C’mon, do me, right there, _God yes_ —“ Hikaru’s voice hitched as Ben gave up on mouthing at Hikaru’s neck and instead started pounding his ass desperately. Hikaru moans started to grow obscenely loud and Ben had the presence of mind to hope the old building had modern soundproofing.

“Hikaru,” Ben gasped. He was feeling hot all over, almost lightheaded, like his brain was being squeezed by the urgent pressure building behind his dick. He really wasn’t going to last much longer. “I’m almost there,” he panted. “I can’t reach you like this, please, you gotta touch yourself for me.”

“Don’t need it,” Hikaru bit out. “Gonna come, _ah, God! Yes,_ Almost there, _ah_ , there, right there _now_ —“ Hikaru’s face crumpled and he let out a loud cry. Ben felt come slick his stomach in warm spurts and groaned as he watched Hikaru’s face.

“Fuck,” Ben mumbled, beyond desperate now. He kept pounding Hikaru into the mattress, gripping his thigh so hard that Ben was sure it’d be covered in bruises in the morning. 

Hikaru finished coming and gasped out a stream of filthy encouragement. “Fuck me good, Ben. Wanna feel you all day tomorrow. Fill me up. God, wanna feel your hot come dripping out of me,” Hikaru moaned.

“Condom,” Ben grunted with a laugh, but the dirty talk push him over the edge. He lost his rhythm and shoved his hips against Hikaru erratically. He strained silently against Hikaru for a long moment, shaking as his cock filled the condom with deep, throbbing pulses. He finally slumped against Hikaru and released Hikaru’s leg to flop down on the bed.

They laid there for a moment to catch their breath. Both of them sounded like they’d just run a marathon. Ben felt like he’d just won the gold medal, too. It look several long minutes, but when his heart stopped trying to burst out of his chest and breathing didn’t require desperate gasps for air, he finally eased out and tossed the condom into the wastebasket by the bed. Ben reached for the tissue box on the nightstand and wiped the come off both of them. 

After they had rearranged themselves and tugged the blanket up over their cooling bodies, Hikaru ordered the lights completely off and pulled Ben against him. He slicked the damp hair back from Ben’s face and rubbed his back in slow, sleepy circles as Ben’s eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the curtained window. 

“You sure are loud,” Ben teased in a low voice. 

Even in the darkness, Ben could see Hikaru’s eyes flicker open and a slight smirk. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like it.” 

“You’re right, I did. I was impressed, too. Hands free?” 

“What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.” 

Ben snorted with laughter. “So humble, too.” The hand rubbing circles on Ben’s back smacked his ass lightly in retribution. They both snickered for a moment before falling comfortably quiet. Ben had been drifting for a bit when Hikaru spoke.

“I was serious, you know.” 

“About what?” Ben fought to resist the alluring pull of sleep and dragged his heavy eyelids open. Hikaru touched his cheek.

“The condoms. I know we just met today, but I’m really into you. I don’t want this to be a one time thing. You feel it too, right?”

Warmth blossomed in Ben’s chest. “Yeah, I do.” Ben kissed Hikaru and caught the hand on his face. He threaded their fingers together and rested them against Hikaru’s chest. “And me, too.”

***

In the morning, Ben woke and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling in confusion. The soft sounds of slow, steady breathing drew his attention to where Hikaru was sprawled on his back, still asleep with the blankets tangled around his waist. Ben grinned when he remembered the previous evening. It was the first time in a long time that Ben had woken up with this happy, hopeful feeling in his chest. Very carefully, he eased out of the bed and snuck to the bathroom to relieve the urgent pressure in his bladder.

When he came back, he just stood in the doorway for a minute to admire the warm light that made Hikaru’s soft skin seem to glow golden. Ben could see dust motes floating in the sunlight and watched them as Hikaru’s breath sent them swirling through the air. Sunlight cast muted glints in the dark hair that was fanned against Hikaru’s pillow. 

Ben wondered to himself if he could catch the effect in watercolors. He thought about the colors he might use but had no intention of making the attempt today. Instead, he eased back into the bed and wiggled closer to Hikaru until he could feel the warmth of his body. Still asleep, Hikaru rolled towards him and rested his head on Ben’s shoulder. Ben glanced at the chronometer on the nightstand. It was just after seven. Ben was a morning person and normally would never just lay in bed all day, but he knew when to make exceptions and go with the flow.

Hikaru was warm against him and the bed was too comfy to resist the drowsiness that tugged at his eyelids. Despite the sunlight that brightened the room, sleep pulled Ben into a contented dream of rivers of black silk and an endless golden sky.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Nina Gordon's song "Watercolors"


End file.
